Jesus Mota

This sounds great for the local Puerto Rican community and the greater Latino/Spanish-speaking community in general - the idea of widening access to the polls for all voters is one worth fighting for. Some commentators want to paint this as a political ploy but access is access, period. Nobody is saying that English-speaking voters have to use the foreign-language ballots, so what's the big deal? It's not unheard of for ballots to be printed in foreign languages where such a measure is demanded and deemed necessary and it shouldn't alarm anyone (for example, Houston/Harris County, Texas at one point printed Vietnamese-language ballots because of the high concentration of Vietnamese immigrants there). If this move gets more people involved in their democracy, so be it. With that said, I'm dismayed, but not surprised, by the xenophobic and racist remarks on this site. It's contradictory to preach "melting pot" assimilation and go on exclusionary rants that say we should "sue" non-English speakers, check I.D.'s at the polls and/or compel everyone to learn English. While learning some English is practical for a more convenient life in the U.S., it isn't necessary (especially in thriving ethnic communities) and need not be mandatory. Plus - if you want to use the law to regulate what language I speak, then you'll want to use the law to regulate what clothes I wear or maybe even what I think - that sounds like facism to me.

Fitzgerald and Zanotti argued about the secrecy behind the charter-drafting process, in which an unknown number of meetings took place behind closed doors and involved a crew we still don't know much about. Fitzgerald said those meetings should have been open to people outside of Zanotti's circle (Mason; rich Republicans, lawyers and businessmen; suburban mayors). Zanotti blew his top. Apparently, Zanotti really likes to do things in secret.

Nothing wrong with Henry synthesizing the information he heard today - what do you want from your media - a stenographer? I've came to the same conclusion long ago. There's nothing democratic about closed-door meetings or a secretly-devised charter that set up this questionable transition. And the notion that Marty Zanotti and friends are going to hit campaign finance reform is laughable, especially if it involves Bill Mason in any way, shape or form.

Hey Donna - wanted to say thanks for the nice job you've done on your stories about Tibor "The Flower Guy" Sarrosy. It's amazing how an old man who walked around selling flowers (the kind of guy people are ready to dismiss) could be such an interesting character and touch so many people. I didn't know him, but seeing him walk around with his giant plush flowers along W. 117th always made me smile. R.I.P.

**Bernsen will direct the movie and likely will have an acting role. But he's not sure how it will be released. "My ego's not into having it on a big screen," he said. "I have no problem getting it on TV and selling DVDs."**

I'd like to thank the police officers and other city workers who stayed and chose to be part of our community. I'd like to give a thumbs down to the small number of officers I've encountered who are terribly pessimistic and possess a "pass-the-buck" mentality: no wonder people have dissed the cops during this Sowell fiasco. And Loomis - give me a break! You and your blue gang afraid of criminals? Your comment is an insult to good patrol officers and residents who don't shy away from problems on their streets.

Hmmm...I'm confused. Susan Goldberg says McGinty's e-mails to the paper weren't "off the record," yet she nor the writer elaborate on what the e-mails say? If his opinions created a conflict and the newspaper knew, then why did the PD wait until now to say something? Why not just share what McGinty said when the case was assigned to him? It doesn't seem fair to the judge that the paper would call him out, create suspicion, and not even tell us what the guy said.

"...there is really very little use for the substance except to escape from reality."

Kind of like alcohol, huh?

The medical marijuana argument is laudable, but a bit disingenuous. Proponents think it's an easier pill for prohibitionists to swallow. Why not just call for legalization? If you don't think legalization would put money in Ohio's coffers, read William Martin's well-researched article about legalization efforts (in Texas, of all places) in the October issue of Texas Monthly magazine.

ctownhawk: I think Henry is right to point out race here, especially in the context of Zone's comment that he was the only candidate "west of the Cuyahoga" to attend. As a newcomer to the area, I'm amazed at how "east" and "west" are code for black and white, respectively. It would be nice to one day drop the code, but we still have a lot of bridges to cross.

I dream of the day when marijuana users, like their beer-guzzling brethren, can share and enjoy their intoxicant of choice openly at venues all over the city - now that would be a celebration to write about!

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